Kevin De Bruyne has openly discussed his challenging first season at Napoli and has criticized the recently departed coach, Antonio Conte, stating, «We have different ideas about football.» Despite Conte’s exit, De Bruyne seems open to the possibility of leaving himself.
The partnership between a creative playmaker and a defensively-minded disciplinarian often struggles to thrive, and Kevin De Bruyne’s tenure under Antonio Conte at Napoli proved to be no exception. The Belgian midfielder joined Napoli on a free transfer in the summer of 2025, after a decade at Manchester City where he clinched every major title, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League.
Speaking to the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, the Napoli playmaker explained why he found it difficult to perform at his usual top level during his inaugural year in Serie A. «It was difficult for me, naturally, because Conte has a completely different idea of football than I do; we shouldn’t beat around the bush about that.»
De Bruyne’s primary criticism centers on the coach’s highly defensive style of play. The system prioritized defensive stability over creative build-up, thereby limiting his individual strengths. «I could never really play in my position. It is what it is. I always gave my all. I played quite a lot, even after my injury, so for me, everything is actually fine.»
He added, «We play very defensively. When you score one goal per game in a 5-4-1 system… that’s not great. At the beginning of the year, we also sat very, very deep. Our top scorer has 10 goals, so yes, you know the statistics aren’t great, but in terms of level and football, I found it quite okay.»
De Bruyne only managed 21 appearances for Napoli across all competitions. A recurring thigh injury also sidelined him for extended periods. Despite contributing five goals and four assists, the playmaker found the season personally frustrating.
De Bruyne Relieved by Conte’s Resignation
Conte, who led Napoli to a second-place finish, is leaving the club by his own volition. De Bruyne did not hide his feelings about the change in management. When directly asked if he was happy about the head coach’s departure, De Bruyne gave a clear response: «Am I happy that Conte is leaving? For me, yes. In my opinion, he didn’t have to stay.»
De Bruyne’s contract in Naples still has a year remaining, but his future is far from set in stone. «Will I stay? I think it’s important to have a conversation about the playing style,» he said. «I’ve realized this year that the playing style is quite important to me. It also has to be fun, and unfortunately, I missed that a bit. I still have one year left on my contract, but I want to have a conversation. Last year too, some things were said. ‘We will play in a certain way and we will do this and that,’ but little came of it, and that’s a shame, of course.»